Electronic control unit having analog input signal

ABSTRACT

An analog input signal obtained from an analog sensor group  104 A and first and second calibration voltages obtained by high-precision voltage-dividing resistors are successively selected by a multiplexer, digitally converted through an AD converter and then input to a microprocessor. The microprocessor calculates a collinear approximate coefficient based on the first and second calibration voltages in cooperation with a program memory, and corrects the digital conversion value to the analog input signal by using the approximate coefficient, thereby correcting a linear error of the conversion characteristic of the AD converter. In the calculation of the approximate coefficient, upper and lower limit check is executed on measurement values and calculation coefficients, and also plural calculation results are averaged to enhance the precision.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an electronic control unit having an analog input signal that is improved so as to obtain a digital conversion output having high-precession and high-reliability by correcting a linear error of a digital conversion characteristic to an analog input signal of a multi-channel analog-digital converter (hereinafter referred to as AD converter).

2. Description of the Related Art

There is a limit to secure high digital conversion precision by analog calibration in a manufacturing process of AD converters, and thus there has been adopted a method of subjecting inexpensive and low-precision AD converts to digital calibration at a practical use stage to obtain required conversion precision. For example, “DIGITAL CALIBRATION METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AD CONVERTER OR DA CONVERTER” described in JP-A-2000-295102 discloses, as a method of performing efficient calibration on AD converters, a digital calibration method for an AD converter which is characterized by comprising the steps of: inputting at least two different reference analog signals to an AD converter to be calibrated; calculating a correction parameter on the basis of each digital signal converted in the AD converter in accordance with the input of each reference analog signal; and executing correcting operation on the output digital signal of the AD converter by using the correction parameter calculated in the correction parameter calculating step.

According to the above publication, when a reading error occurs due to noise malfunction or the like in the step of inputting at least two different reference analog signals to the AD converter to be calibrated or when a calculation error occurs in the step of calculating the correction parameter on the basis of each digital signal converted in the AD converter in accordance with the input of each reference analog signal, a digital conversion value which is subsequently subjected to correction calculation by using an improper correction parameter continues to contain an abnormal error. A factor which induces occurrence of the calculation error resides in that even in the case of use of a high-precision reference analog signal, the converted digital value varies when a voltage applied to a reference voltage terminal of the AD converter varies. In the case of an AD converter which is used without being subjected to the correcting operation, an erroneous digital conversion value caused by a temporary noise malfunction is restored to a normal value by next measurements which are periodically read out (executed). However, if the correction parameter has abnormality, it induces a defect which is not temporary, but critical.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been implemented in view of the foregoing situation, and has an object to provide an electronic control unit having an analog input signal in which a correction parameter for obtaining high-precision digital conversion data can be calculated accurately, highly precisely and in short time.

In order to attain the above object, according to an electronic control device having an analog input signal of the invention, one of analog input signals of plural points obtained from an analog sensor group is successively selected by a multiplexer and applied to an analog input terminal of an AD converter, and digital data digitally-converted by the AD converter are input to a microprocessor. Calibration voltage signals of plural points are input to the multiplexer, and control programs serving as a collinear approximate coefficient calculating unit, an interpolation correcting calculation unit, an averaging unit and a band check unit are added to a program memory cooperating with the microprocessor. The calibration voltage signals are voltage input signals obtained by dividing a reference voltage Vref applied to a reference voltage terminal of the AD converter with plural high-precision voltage-dividing resistors.

The collinear approximate coefficient calculating unit represents a characteristic of a digital conversion value to the whole band of the input signal voltage of the AD converter by a single or plural approximate lines, calculates a proportional coefficient and an offset component of an approximate line calculation equation so that the relationship between the voltage and the digital conversion value of the plural calibration voltage signals is contained on the approximate line, and sets the calculated proportional coefficient and offset component as parameters for collinear approximation.

The interpolation correcting calculation unit reads out a digital conversion value to one input signal voltage of the analog input signals, calculates back the analog input voltage corresponding to the digital conversion value from the approximate line, and sets the value proportional to the calculated-back calculation value as a corrected digital conversion value. The averaging unit executes calculation of an approximate calculation equation by the collinear approximate coefficient calculating unit at plural times, calculating each average value of the obtained proportional coefficient and offset component and sets the average value as a practical parameter to be applied in the interpolation correcting calculating unit.

The band check unit determines whether the digital conversion value of the calibration voltage signal is within a range of upper and lower limit threshold values for calibration values stored in the program memory or is a parameter for collinear approximation, or whether the values of the practical parameter is within a range of upper and lower limit threshold values of parameters stored in the program memory, and executes read-out of the digital conversion value of the calibration voltage signal and calculation and averaging of the parameter for the collinear approximation when the determination result is an abnormal value out of the range.

According to the electronic control device having the analog input signal of the present invention, even with an inexpensive AD converter having a large linear error in a digital conversion output to an analog input, an accurate digital conversion output can be obtained by the correcting unit, and also a calculation error can be prevented from occurring due to a ripple variation or the like by the band check unit. Therefore there can be suppressed a risk that an erroneous AD conversion correction is continually carried out on all of plural input analog inputs by using an erroneous coefficient.

Furthermore, by using the averaging unit, the precision of the collinear approximate coefficient to be practically used can be enhanced, and the AD conversion correction can be performed with higher precision. Even when the calibration voltage signal has a minute ripple variation, the effect of the abnormality value can be suppressed by using the averaging unit. In this case, a larger amount of data are required to be averaged, and long time is required to obtain the practical collinear approximate coefficient. In addition, if an abnormal ripple value accidentally continues at the read-out timing of the calibration voltage signal, an error component which cannot be dissolved by only the averaging unit remains.

According to this invention, by using the band check unit and the averaging unit in combination, the high-precision practical collinear approximate coefficient can be obtained in short time.

The foregoing and other object, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a circuit block diagram showing an electronic control unit according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a characteristic diagram of the electronic control unit of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a first half part of the operation of a microprocessor shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a second half part of the operation of the microprocessor shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a circuit block diagram showing an electronic control unit according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a characteristic diagram of the electronic control unit shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a first half part of the operation of a microprocessor shown in FIG. 5; and

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a second half part of the operation of the microprocessor shown in FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Preferred embodiments according to the present invention will be described hereunder with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First Embodiment (1) Detailed Description of Construction

FIG. 1 is a circuit block diagram showing an electronic control unit according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, an electronic control unit 100A is a controller for an in-vehicle mount engine, for example, and it is connected to a power supply 101 as an in-vehicle mount battery through an output contact point 102 a of a power supply relay 102. An exciting coil 102 b of the power supply relay 102 is driven by a power supply control circuit 121 described later. A power supply switch 103 is connected to the electronic control unit 100A, and energizes the power supply relay 102 in cooperation with the power supply control circuit 121.

An analog sensor group 104A which inputs signals to a microprocessor (CPU) 110 described later through an interface circuit (not shown) contains various kinds of sensors for monitoring the operation condition of the engine such as an air flow sensor for measuring an air-intake amount of the engine, an accelerator position sensor for detecting the step-on degree of an accelerator pedal (throttle pedal), a throttle position sensor for detecting the throttle valve opening degree, an exhaust gas sensor, a temperature sensor of cooling water for the engine, etc.

A switch sensor group 105 which inputs signals to the microprocessor 110 through an interface circuit (not shown) contains various kinds of sensors of ON/OFF operation for monitoring the operation condition of the engine such as a crank angle sensor of the engine, a pulse sensor for measuring the speed of the vehicle, etc.

An electrical load group 106 which is supplied with power from the microprocessor 110 through an interface circuit (not shown) and driven contains an electromagnetic coil for driving a fuel injection valve, an ignition coil of the engine (when the engine type is a gasoline engine), a motor for controlling the valve opening degree of the air intake throttle, a motor for driving an exhaust circulating valve, an electromagnetic clutch for an air conditioner, an alarm/display unit, etc.

An external tool 107 which is connected to the microprocessor 110 through a serial interface circuit is connected to the electronic control unit 100A through a detachable connector (not shown) when shipping inspection of products and maintenance and check-out are carried out.

As the internal construction of the electronic control unit 100A, the microprocessor 110 is connected to a program memory (FMEM) 111A as a non-volatile flash memory, a RAM memory (RMEM) 112 for operation processing and a non-volatile data memory (DMEM) 113 as EEPROM memory through a bus so as to cooperate with each memory. In the program memory 111A stored are not only an input/output control program as the electronic control unit 100A, but also a periodically updating unit 304, band check units 311 and 313, a collinear approximate coefficient calculating unit 312, a time overrun determining unit 315, an averaging unit 316, an abnormality informing unit 318, an interpolation correcting unit 422, a control program as an evacuation storing unit 427 and various kinds of control data as threshold values for determination.

A multi-channel AD converter (ADC) 114 is equipped with an AD conversion unit 114 a having a resolution of 10-bit precision, for example, and a buffer memory (BMEM) 114 b in which digital conversion values of 16 channels are stored. When receiving an AD conversion instruction 115 a from the microprocessor 110, the multi-channel AD converter 114 generates an input switching signal 117 a described later, successively converts analog input voltages Ai of 16 channels to digital conversion outputs Di and stores the thus-obtained digital conversion outputs into a buffer memory 114 b.

A reference voltage Vref is applied to the reference voltage terminal of the AD converter 114. The relationship of the analog input voltage Ai, the digital conversion output Di, the reference voltage Vref and the resolution n is represented by the following equation:

Di=(2^(n)−1)×(Ai/Vref)   (1)

In the case of the resolution of n=10, the constant K=(2^(n)−1)=1023.

In FIG. 2 showing the input/output characteristic of the AD converter 114, the abscissa axis represents the analog input voltage ratio Ai/Vref, the ordinate axis represents the digital conversion output Di, and an ideal characteristic line 200 shown by a solid line represents the equation (1).

Returning to FIG. 1, the microprocessor 110 can indicate the address of the buffer memory 114 b on the basis of a data select instruction signal 115 b, and transfer and write digital conversion data 115 c of an analog input of a desired channel number into a RAM memory 112. A multiplexer (MPX) 116 has analog input terminals of 16 points of channel numbers CH0 to CH15, generates an analog input signal 117 b selected in response to the input switching instruction signal 117 a, and supplies the generated analog input signal 117 b into the AD converter 114. Voltage dividing resistors 118 a to 118 d are connected to one another in series, divide the voltage of the reference voltage Vref to obtain a first calibration voltage A1 and a second calibration voltage A2, and supply the first and second calibration voltages A1 and A2 to the channels CH1 and CH0 of the multiplexer. An analog signal voltage obtained from the analog sensor group 104A is applied to the other channels CH2 to CH15 of the multiplexer 116.

In FIG. 2, a single approximate line 201 indicated by a broken line is a line passing through the coordinate point (A1/Vref, D1) of the first calibration voltage A1 and the first digital conversion value D1 corresponding to this calibration voltage A1 and the coordinate point (A2/Vref, D2) of the second calibration voltage A2 and the second digital conversion value D2 corresponding to this calibration voltage A2, and it is calculated according to the following equation:

(Di)=α×(Ai/Vref)+β  (2)

Here,

proportional efficiency α=Vref×(D2−D1)/(A2−A1)   (21)

offset component β=(D1×A2−D2×A1)/(A2−A1)   (22)

Returning to FIG. 1, a control power supply unit (PSU) 120 is supplied with power from the output contact point 102 a of the power supply relay 102, generates a control voltage Vcc=5V on the basis of the power supply voltage DC 10 to 16V of the power supply 101 and supplies a stabilized voltage to each of parts containing the microprocessor 110. The control voltage Vcc is directly used as the reference voltage Vref. The power control circuit 121 energizes the power supply relay 102 just after the power switch 103 closes the circuit. However, when the power supply switch 103 opens the circuit, the power supply relay 102 is deenergized after a predetermined delay time elapses. Accordingly, evacuation processing of the microprocessor 110 is executed during this delay shut-off period.

(2) Detailed Description of Action and Operation

When the power supply switch 103 closes the circuit in the first embodiment constructed as shown in FIG. 1, the output contact point 102 a of the power supply relay 102 closes the circuit, the control power supply unit 120 is supplied with power from the power supply 101 to generate a stabilized control power supply voltage Vcc, and the microprocessor starts its operation. The microprocessor 110 controls the operation of the electrical load group 106 in response to the voltage level of an analog signal obtained from the analog sensor group 104A, the operation state of an ON/OFF signal obtained from the switch sensor group 105 and an input/output control program stored in the program memory 111A.

It will be described with reference to flowcharts of FIGS. 3 and 4 how the microprocessor takes an analog signal voltage from the analog sensor group 104A with high precision. In the flowchart showing a first half operation of the microprocessor 110 in FIG. 3, in step 300, the microprocessor 110 starts analog input processing, and in subsequent step 301, it is determined on the basis of the operation state of a flag (not shown) whether the starting operation of the analog input processing in step 300 is an initial starting operation just after the power supply switch 103 closes the circuit. If the starting operation is determined as the initial starting operation (step 301; Yes), the processing goes to step 302 a. If the starting operation is not determined as the initial operation (step 301; No), the processing goes to step 304.

In step 302 a, an initial value of a parameter for executing interpolation correction calculation in subsequent step 422 described later is read out from the program memory 111A and written into a first area of the RAM memory 112, and in subsequent step 303 a calculation completion flag of the parameter set in subsequent step 317 described later is reset. When the step 303 is executed, the processing shifts to step 424 of FIG. 4 through a relay terminal A. If the power supply switch 103 does not open the circuit, the processing goes to step 425 to generate an AD conversion instruction 115 a and then goes to an operation finishing step 426. The microprocessor 110 is set to a standby state in the operation finishing step 426, and it goes to step 300 to start the analog input processing again when a predetermined time elapses after the microprocessor 110 executes another control flow. The time required for the series of flows from the operation starting step 300 to the operation finishing step 426 is equal to 100 μs or less although it passes through any flow. However, the period at which the operation starting step 300 is activated is equal to 10 ms, for example. Furthermore, when receiving the AD conversion instruction 115 a in step 425, the AD converter 114 executes AD conversion processing of the 16 channels and stores the digital conversion values into the buffer memory 114 b. The time for which the AD converter 114 executes the AD conversion processing of the 16 channels is equal to 200 μs or less, and when the operation starting step 300 is activated again after the processing passes through the operation finishing step 426, the AD conversion which is instructed in step 425 has been completed.

A step 304 is a step of determining the calibration timing. This step 304 serves as the following periodically updating unit. That is, a determination of Yes is made when the initial determining operation (corresponding to the second operation as the control flow operation) is executed after the power supply switch 103 closes the circuit, and then the processing goes to step 305. At a normal time, determination of No is made and then the processing goes to step 306. However, when the processing passes through the step 304 again after several minutes, the determination of Yes is made again. The calibration period is set to a time shorter than the thermal time constant of the AD converter 114. In step 305, the parameter calculation completion flag set in step 317 described later is reset and the processing goes to step 310 when the calibrating operation is started. The bock of the series 320 from steps 310 to 319 b serves as a practical parameter calculating unit, and plural calculation cycles are required until the initial value of the parameter applied in step 302 a is replaced by the practical parameter calculated in the step block 320 and updated and written into the first area of the RAM memory 112 in step 302 b. In step 306, it is determined whether the parameter calculation completion flag is set or not in step 317 described later. If the calculation has not yet been completed, a determination of No is made, and the processing goes to step 310. If the calculation has been completed, a determination of Yes is made, and the processing goes to step 420 of FIG. 4 through the relay terminal B.

In step 310, the value of the first digital conversion value D1 corresponding to the first calibration voltage A1 and the value of the second digital conversion value D2 corresponding to the second calibration voltage A2 out of the digital conversion values which have been subjected to AD conversion in step 425 described later are read out from the buffer memory 114 b, and stored into first and second addresses of the RAM memory 112. The subsequent step 311 is a determining step serving as a band check unit. That is, in step 311, it is determined whether the first and second digital conversion values D1 and D2 read out in step 310 are not out of a permissible variation width band stored in the program memory 111A. If there is any abnormal data out of the band, a determination of Yes is made and the processing goes to step 319 b. If these data are in the normal range, a determination of NO is made and the processing goes to step 312. It is reasonable that the permissible variation width is set to the value of about ±10 mV obtained by providing a margin of the double of the variation width of ±5 mV in specification which is contained in the AD converter and the high-precision voltage-dividing resistors 118 a to 118 d. The step 312 serves as a collinear approximate coefficient calculation unit of calculating a proportional coefficient α and the value of an offset component β according to the equations (21) and (22) described above on the basis of the first calibration voltage ratio A1/Vref=0.25 and the second calibration voltage ratio A2/Vref=0.75 stored in the program memory 111A and the coordinate points (A1/Vref, D1) (A2/Vref, D2) determined on the basis of the first and second digital conversion values D1 and D2 read out in step 310.

The subsequent step 313 is the following determining step serving as a band check unit. That is, in step 313, it is determined whether the value of the parameter α as the proportional coefficient and the value of the parameter β as the offset component are not out of the permissible variation width stored in the program memory 111A in the collinear approximate coefficient calculation in step 312, and if any parameter is abnormal, a determination of YES is made and the processing goes to step 319 b. If all the parameters are normal, a determination of NO is made and the processing goes to step 314. The subsequent step 314 is the following determining step. In step 314, it is determined whether the calculation of the parameter in step 312 is executed at a frequency N=5 times, for example. If the execution frequency is low, a determination of NO is made, and the processing goes to step 420 of FIG. 4 through the relay terminal B. If the calculation of N=5 times is completed or if the time exceeds a predetermined limit time although the execution frequency is low, the determination of YES is made and the processing goes to step 315. If the determination of the step S314 is NO, the processing returns from the relay terminal B through the steps 420 to 426 of FIG. 4 to the step 300 of FIG. 3, and parameters α1 to α5 and β1 to β5 of the calculations of 5 times are calculated while the processing circulates through the steps 301, 304, 306, 310, 311, 312, 313 and 314. In the calculation of each parameter, the AD conversion instruction 115 a caused by the step 425 occurs every calculation, and the calibration data read out by the step 310 is updated.

When the step 311 or 313 makes an abnormality determination in the process of calculating the plural parameters α, β, the processing circulates through the step 319 b, the relay terminal B, the steps 420 to 426, the step 300, the step 301, the step 304, the step 306, the step 310 and the steps 311 to 313. If normal data are obtained, the processing goes from the steps 311 to 313 to the step 314 to add the calculation frequency. Accordingly, when the abnormality determination in the step 311 or 313 is continued, a time-out determination is made even when the calculation frequency is low, and thus the processing goes to step 315.

The step 315 is a determining step serving as a time overrun determining unit. That is, in the step 315, when the determination of the step 314 is a time-out determination, a determination of YES is made and the processing goes to step 318. If it is determined in step 314 that the calculations of N=5 times have been normally completed, a determination of NO is made and the processing goes to step 316. The step 316 is a step serving as an averaging unit of averaging the temporarily stored parameters of the 5-time calculations by a statistical method such as a least square method or the like to calculate and store practical parameters α0, β0. A step 317 is a step of setting the calculation completion flag of the parameter and also resetting a counter (not shown) for counting the execution frequency of the step 312. In subsequent step of the step 316, the band check of the practical parameters such as the averaged proportional coefficient α0 calculated in the step 316 and the averaged offset component β0 may be carried out. In this case, if the band has any abnormal value, the processing goes to step 319 a, and if the band is normal, the processing goes to step 317.

The subsequent step 302 b to the step 317 is a step of writing the practical parameters calculated in the step 316 into the first area of the RAM memory 112 in place of the initial value written in the step 302 a, and the processing goes to step 420 of FIG. 4 through the relay terminal B subsequently to the step 302 b. The step 318 is a step serving as an abnormality informing unit which generates an alarm display instruction output which is executed when the determination of the step 315 is “time overruns”, and shifts the processing to step 319 a. In the step 319 a, the counter (not shown) for counting the execution frequency of the step 312 is reset, and calculation of the parameters of a predetermined frequency and averaging calculation thereof are executed again. A step 319 b which is executed when the determination of the step 311 or 313 is YES or after the step 319 a is executed is a step of setting an abnormal flag for storing occurrence of abnormality, and subsequently to the step 319 b, the processing goes to step 420 of FIG. 4 through the relay terminal B.

In FIG. 4 showing the second half operation of the microprocessor shown in FIG. 1, the step 420 is a step of setting an analog input number. In the step 420, the address of the buffer memory 114 b is indicated by a data select instruction signal 115 b of FIG. 1, and the read-out of the digital conversion value corresponding to the analog input signal input to the input channel number CH2, for example, is indicated. The subsequent step 421 is a step of reading out the content (BFMn) of the buffer memory 114 b of the address BFMn indicated in the step 420 to the address RAMn of the RAM memory 112. The subsequent step 422 is a step serving as an interpolation correcting unit for calculating the corrected digital conversion value (RAMn) from the value of the content (BFMn) of the buffer memory 114 b read out in the step 421 and updating and storing the calculated value as the content of the address RAMn of the RAM memory 112.

When the digital conversion value (Di)=(BFMn) in the calculation equation (2), the analog input voltage ratio (Ai/Vref) is calculated according to the following equation.

(Ai/Vref)=[(BFMn)−β]/α  (3)

As the parameters α, β are used the initial values read out in step 302 a until the parameter calculation is completed, and also used the average values α0, β0 of (α1 to α5), (β1 to β5) calculated and stored in step 316. If the AD converter 114 has an ideal conversion characteristic indicated by an ideal characteristic line 200 of FIG. 2 with the thus-calculated analog input voltage ratio (Ai/Vref) as a reference, the obtained digital conversion value is calculated according to the equation (1), and this value corresponds to the corrected digital conversion value (RAMn).

(RAMn)=(2^(n)−)×(Ai/Vref)   (4)

In the subsequent step 423, it is determined whether the correction of the AD conversion associated with all the analog sensor group 104 is completed. If the correction has not yet been completed, the processing returns to the step 420, and if the correction has been completed, a determination of YES is made and the processing goes to step 424. If the determination of the step 423 is “NO” and the processing returns to the step 420, the input number is successively updated to the channels CH3 to CH15. In the step 424, it is determined whether the power supply switch 103 opens the circuit. If the power switch 103 does not open the circuit, a determination of NO is made, and the processing goes to step 425. If the power supply switch 103 opens the circuit, a determination of YES is made, and the processing goes to step 427. In step 425, after the AD conversion instruction 115 a is generated, the processing goes to the operation finishing step 426. The instruction flag (not shown) which is set by the AD conversion instruction 115 a is reset by the conversion completion signal generated by the AD converter 114.

The step 427 is a step serving as an evacuating storing unit for temporarily reading out abnormality record information stored in the non-volatile data memory 113 and transferring and storing the addition result of the abnormality record information and the abnormality information stored in step 319 b into the data memory 113 again. In step 319 b, the abnormality occurrence frequency is counted every abnormality mode such as the abnormality of the read-out calibration based on the determination of the step 311, the abnormality of the parameter based on the determination of the step 313, the time-out abnormality based on the determination of the step 315, etc., and the counted abnormality occurrence frequency is accumulatively added in step 427. Subsequently to the step 427, the microprocessor 110 stops the operation, and the power supply relay 102 is deenergized by the power supply control circuit in connection with stop of a watch dog signal, for example.

(3) Summary and Feature of First Embodiment

The electronic control device 100A according to the first embodiment is designed as an electronic control device having an analog input signal in which one of analog signals of plural points obtained from the analog sensor group 104A is successively selected by the multiplexer 116 and applied to the analog input terminal of the AD converter 114, and the digital data digitally-converted by the AD converter 114 are input to the microprocessor 110.

The calibrating voltage signals A1, A2 of plural points are input to the multiplexer 116, and the control program serving as the collinear approximate coefficient calculating unit 312, the interpolation correcting calculation unit 422, the averaging unit 316 and the band check units 311 and 313 is added to the program memory 111A cooperating with the microprocessor 110. The calibrating voltage signal corresponds to the voltage input signals A1 and A2 which are obtained by dividing the reference voltage Vref applied to the reference voltage terminal of the AD converter 114 through the plural high-precision voltage-dividing resistors 118 a to 118 d.

The collinear approximation calculation unit 312 represents the characteristic of the digital conversion value to the overall band of the input signal voltage of the AD converter 114 by a single approximate line 201, calculates the proportional coefficient and the offset component of the approximate line calculation equation so that the relationship between the voltage and the digital conversion value of the plural calibrating voltage signals is contained in the approximate line concerned.

The interpolation correcting calculation unit 422 reads out the digital conversion value to one input signal voltage of the analog input signal, calculates back the analog input voltage corresponding to the digital conversion value from the approximate line, and sets a value proportional to the back-calculation value as the corrected digital conversion value.

The averaging unit 316 executes the approximation calculation at plural times by the collinear approximation calculating unit 312, and the respective average values of the proportional coefficients and the offset components are calculated and set as the practical parameters applied in the interpolation correcting calculation unit 422.

The band check units 311 and 313 determine whether the digital conversion value of the calibrating voltage signal is within the band of the upper and lower limit threshold values for calibration value stored in the program memory 111A or a parameter for collinear approximation, or whether the value of the practical parameter is within the band of the upper and lower limit threshold values of the parameter stored in the program memory 111A. If the determination result is an abnormal value out of the band, the read-out of the digital conversion value of the calibrating voltage signal and the calculation of the parameter for the collinear approximation and the averaging thereof are executed again.

As the calibration voltage signals A1 and A2 used are the first calibration voltage A1 and the second calibration voltage A2 which are equal to about 25% and 75% of a predetermined reference voltage Vref applied to the reference voltage terminal of the AD converter, respectively. The first and second calibration voltages are set so as to satisfy at least the relationship of 0<A1<A2<Vref. The collinear approximate coefficient calculation unit 312 represents the characteristic of the digital conversion value to the whole band of the input signal voltage of the AD converter 114 by the single approximate line 201. The single approximate line 201 is a characteristic approximate line between the input voltage and the digital conversion output in which the first digital conversion value D1 corresponding to the first calibration voltage A1 and the second digital conversion value D2 corresponding to the second calibration voltage A2 are contained as the coordinate points (A1/Vref, D1) and (A2/Vref, D2). Accordingly, the digital conversion characteristic to the whole band of the input signal voltage of the AD converter can be corrected by a relatively simple calibrating unit which is not affected by the variation of the power supply voltage.

The program memory 111A cooperating with the microprocessor 110 further contains a control program serving as the periodically updating unit 304. The periodically updating unit 304 executes the collinear approximate coefficient calculating unit 312, the averaging unit 316 and the band check units 311 and 313 every predetermined period to successively update the value of the averaged proportional coefficient α0 and the value of the averaged offset component β0 which are the practical parameters. The predetermined period is shorter than the time corresponding to the thermal time constant of the AD converter 114. Accordingly, the variation of the digital conversion characteristic caused by the environmental temperature variation of the AD converter can be corrected, and high-precision digital conversion data can be obtained.

The program memory 111A further contains a control program serving as the time overrun determining unit 315. The time overrun determining unit 315 calculates the averaged proportional coefficient α0 and the value β0 of the averaged offset component in the averaging unit 316, and determines whether the time required to obtain the practical parameter exceeds a predetermined threshold time. When the time overrun determining unit 315 makes a time overrun determination, an alarm is displayed by the abnormality informing unit 318. Accordingly, the abnormality informing unit 318 does not respond to sporadic abnormality, but informs abnormality in such a case that band check abnormality occurs duplicatively, thereby promoting maintenance and check.

In the band check units 311 and 313, the timing at which the voltage signal for calibration is read out again after the abnormality determination is made is executed in a subsequent calculation cycle which is different from the calculation cycle at which the abnormality determination is made. Accordingly, calibrated data to which an abnormality determination is made is not re-used, but the collinear approximate coefficient is efficiently calculated again.

The program memory 111A further contains a control program serving as the evacuation storing unit 427. The evacuation storing unit 427 stores the abnormality occurrence frequency at which the abnormality determination is made by the band check units 311 and 313 and the time overrun determining unit 315, and transfers and stores it into the non-volatile data memory 113. The transferred and stored abnormality record information is read out and displayed by connecting the external tool 107. Accordingly, the abnormality occurrence record information is read out, and the relationship of the calibration value, the variation permissible range of the parameter and the time-out check time is analyzed, whereby proper set values can be calculated.

Second Embodiment (1) Detailed Description of Construction

FIG. 5 is a circuit block diagram showing a device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and the difference of FIG. 5 from FIG. 1 will be mainly described. The same reference numerals in FIGS. 1 and 5 represent the same or corresponding parts. In FIG. 5, an electronic control device 100B supplied with power from the power supply 101 through the power supply relay 102 has a microprocessor 110 cooperating with a program memory 111B. In the program memory 111B stored are not only the input/output program serving as the electronic control device 100B, but also control programs serving as a periodically updating unit 704 described later with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, band check units 711 and 713, a collinear approximate coefficient calculating unit 712, a time overrun determining unit 715, an averaging unit 716, an abnormality informing unit 718, an interpolation correcting calculating unit 822 and an evacuating storing means 827, and control data as determination threshold values.

The multichannel AD converter 114 has an AD conversion unit 114 having resolution of 10-bit precision, and a buffer memory 114 b in which digital conversion values of 16 channels are stored as in the case of FIG. 1. When receiving an AD conversion instruction 115 a from the microprocessor 110, the multichannel AD converter 114 generates an input switching signal 117 a described later, successively converts an analog input voltage Ai of each of 16 channels to a digital conversion output Di and storing the digital conversion output Di into the buffer memory 114 b. A reference voltage Vref is applied to the reference voltage terminal of the AD converter 114, and the relationship of the analog input voltage Ai, the digital conversion output Di, the reference voltage Vref and the resolution n is the same as shown in the equation (1).

As in the case of FIG. 1, the microprocessor 110 indicates the address of the buffer memory 114 b on the basis of a data select instruction signal 115 b, and can transfer and write digital conversion data 115 c of an analog input of a desired channel number into the RAM memory 112. The multiplexer 116 has analog input terminals of 16 points of channel numbers CH0 to CH15, and it generates the analog input signal selected in response to the input switching instruction signal 117 a and supplies the generated analog input signal to the AD converter 114.

Voltage-dividing resistors 119 a to 119 c are connected to one another in series to divide the voltage of the reference voltage Vref, thereby obtaining calibration voltages of four points, that is, a first calibration voltage A1 equal to about 25% of the reference voltage Vref, a second calibration voltage A2 equal to about 75% of the reference voltage Vref, the minimum calibration voltage A0 for the input voltage in the neighborhood of 0V, and the maximum calibration voltage A3 in the neighborhood of the reference voltage Vref, and supplies these voltages to the channels CH0 to CH3 of the multiplexer 116. In this embodiment, A0=0, A3=Vref. Analog signal voltages obtained from the analog sensor group 104B are applied to the other channels CH4 to CH15 of the multiplexer 116.

In FIG. 6 showing the input/output characteristic of the AD converter 114, the abscissa axis represents the analog input voltage ratio Ai/Vref, and the ordinate axis represents the digital conversion output Di. An ideal characteristic line 600 represented by a solid line is shown in the equation (1). A first approximate line 601 indicated by a thin broken line passes through the coordinate point (A0/Vref, D0) based on the minimum calibration voltage A0=0 and the minimum digital conversion value D0 corresponding to the minimum calibration voltage and the coordinate point (A1/Vref, D1) based on the first calibration voltage A1 and the first digital conversion value D1 corresponding to the calibration voltage, and the calculation equation is indicated by the following equation:

(Di)=A×(Ai/Vref)+B   (5)

Proportional coefficient A=Vref×(D1−D0)/A1   (51)

Offset Component B=D0   (52)

A second approximate line indicated by a chain line passes through the coordinate point (A1/Vref, D1) based on the first calibration voltage A1 and the first digital conversion value D1 corresponding to the calibration voltage and the coordinate point (A2/Vref, D2) based on the second calibration voltage A2 and the second digital conversion value D2 corresponding to the second calibration voltage A2, and the calculation equation thereof is indicated by the following equation:

(Di)=C×(Ai/Vref)+D   (6)

Proportional coefficient C=Vref×(D2−D1)/(A2−A1)   (61)

Offset Component D=(D1×A2−D2×A1)/(A2−A1)   (62)

A third approximate line indicated by a heavy broken line passes through the coordinate point (A2/Vref, D2) based on the second calibration voltage A2 and the second digital conversion value D2 corresponding to the second calibration voltage A2 and the coordinate point (A3/Vref, D3) based on the maximum calibration voltage A3=Vref and the maximum digital conversion value D3 corresponding to the maximum calibration voltage A3=Vref, and the calculation equation thereof is indicated by the following equation:

(Di)=E×(Ai/Vref)+F   (7)

Proportional coefficient E=Vref×(D3−D2)/(Vref−A2)   (71)

Offset Component F=(D2×Vref−D3×A2)/(Vref−A2)   (72)

(2) Detailed Description of Action and Operation

Next, in the device of the second embodiment according to the present invention constructed as shown in FIG. 5, when the power supply switch 103 closes the circuit, the output contact of the power supply relay 102 closes the circuit, so that the control power supply unit 120 is supplied with power from the power supply 101 to generate a stabilized control power supply voltage Vcc and the microprocessor 110 starts its operation. The microprocessor 110 controls the driving of the electrical load group 106 in response to the voltage level of the analog signal obtained from the analog sensor group 104B, the operation state of the ON/OFF signal obtained from the switch sensor group 105 and the input/output control program stored in the program memory 111B. It will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 7 and 8 how the microprocessor 110 takes in the analog signal voltage from the analog sensor group 104B with high precision. The flowcharts of FIGS. 7 and 8 have the same construction as the flowcharts of FIGS. 3 and 4, and are different from FIGS. 3 and 4 only in that the 300s' and 400s' step numbers are changed to 700s' and 800s' step numbers.

In FIG. 7, a step 710 is a step of reading the value of the minimum digital conversion value D0 corresponding to the minimum calibration voltage A0=0, the value of the first digital conversion value D1 corresponding to the first calibration voltage A1, the value of the second digital conversion value D2 corresponding to the second calibration voltage A2 and the value of the maximum digital conversion value D3 corresponding to the maximum calibration voltage A3 out of the digital conversion values AD-converted in step 825 of FIG. 8 from the buffer memory 114 b, and stores these values into a predetermined area of the RAM memory 112. A step 712 is a step serving as a collinear approximate coefficient calculating unit for calculating the values of the proportional coefficients A, C and E and the offset components B, D, F according to the equations (51), (52), (61), (62), (71) and (72) described above on the basis of the values of the respective calibration voltage ratios A0/Vref=0, A1/Vref=0.25, A2/Vref=0.75 and A3/Vref=1.0 stored in the program memory 111B, and the coordinate points (A−/Vref, D0), (A1/Vref, D1), (A2/Vref, D2) and (A3/Vref, D3) determined on the basis of the respective digital conversion values D0 to D3 read out in step 710. Furthermore, a step 716 is a step serving as an averaging unit for averaging parameters obtained through five calculating operations and stored temporarily in step 712 by a statistical method such as the least square method or the like and calculating and storing practical parameters associated with the first, second and third approximate lines 601, 602 and 603.

Furthermore, in FIG. 8, a step 822 is a step serving as an interpolation correcting calculation unit for calculating a corrected digital conversion value (RAMn) from the value of the content (BFMn) of the buffer memory 114 b which is read out in step 821, and updating and rewriting the digital conversion value as the content of the address RAMn of the RAM memory 112. When the digital conversion value (Di)=(BFMn) in the calculation equations (1), (6) and (7), the analog input voltage ratio (Ai/Vref) thereof is calculated according to the following equations.

(Ai/Vref)=[(BFMn)−B]/A   (81)

(Ai/Vref)=[(BFMn)−D]/C   (82)

(Ai/Vref)=[(BFMn)−F]/E   (83)

As the parameters A to F used are initial values read out in step 702 a until the calculation of the parameters is completed, and an average value calculated and stored in step 716 after the calculation is completed. However, it is varies in accordance with the value of (BFMn) which one of the calculation equations (81), (82) and (83) is applied. If the value of (BFMn) is not more than D1, the equation (81) is applied, if the value of (BFMn) is between D1 and D2, the equation (82) is applied, and if the value of (BFMn) is not less than D2, the equation (83) is applied. Even when the thus-calculated analog input voltage ratio (Ai/Vref) is set as a reference, the obtained digital conversion value is calculated according to the equation (1) if the AD converter 114 has an ideal conversion characteristic indicated by the ideal characteristic line 600 of FIG. 6, and this calculated digital conversion value corresponds to the corrected digital conversion value (RAMn).

(RAMn)=(2^(n)−1)×(Ai/Vref)   (9)

As is apparent from the foregoing description, the AD converter according to the present invention obtains the digital conversion value corresponding to the ratio between the input signal voltage Ai of the AD converter and the reference voltage Vref applied to the reference voltage terminal of the AD converter, and the control power supply voltage Vcc (for example DC5V) corresponding to the output voltage of the control power supply unit 120 is used as the reference voltage Vref. Accordingly, even when the control power supply voltage Vcc varies, the input voltage ratio based on the voltage-dividing resistors does not vary. However, a detection error occurs in an application requiring the absolute value of the analog input voltage. As a countermeasure, a temperature sensor is provided in the neighborhood of the control power supply unit 120, and the environmental temperature based on the temperature sensor is stored into the RAM memory through the AD converter 114 and the microprocessor 110. In addition, the characteristic between the output voltage and the environmental temperature of the control power supply unit 120 is written into the program memory 111B in advance by a data table or an approximate expression. Therefore, idealistically, the output voltage of the control power supply unit 120 is estimated from the environmental temperature under the operation state, and the digital conversion value obtained in accordance with the voltage variation rate from the targeted control power supply voltage Vcc=5V is corrected.

(3) Summary and Feature of Second Embodiment

The electronic control device 100B according to the second embodiment of the present invention is designed as an electronic control device having an analog input signal so that one of analog input signals of plural points obtained from the analog sensor group 104B is successively selected by the multiplexer 116 and applied to the analog input terminal of the AD converter 114, and the digital data digitally converted by the AD converter 114 are input to the microprocessor 110.

The calibration voltage signals A0, A1, A2, A3 of plural points are input to the multiplexer 116, and the control programs serving as the collinear approximate coefficient calculating unit 712, the interpolation correcting calculation unit 822, the averaging unit 716 and the band check units 711 and 713 are added to the program memory 111B cooperating with the microprocessor 110.

The calibration voltage signal corresponds to the voltage input signals A0, A1, A2, A3 obtained by dividing the reference voltage Vref applied to the reference voltage terminal of the AD converter 114 through the plural high-precision voltage-diving resistors 119 a to 119 d.

The collinear approximate coefficient calculating unit 712 represents the characteristic of the digital conversion value to the whole band of the input signal voltage of the AD converter 114 by plural approximate lines 601, 602, 603, and calculates the proportional coefficient of the approximate line calculation equation and the offset component so that the relationship between the voltage and the digital conversion value in the plural calibration voltage signals is contained in the approximate line concerned, and sets them as the parameters for the collinear approximation.

The interpolation correcting calculation unit 822 reads out the digital conversion value to one input signal voltage of the analog input signal, calculates back the analog input voltage corresponding to the digital conversion value concerned from the approximate line, and sets the value proportional to the calculated-back calculation value as the corrected digital conversion value.

The averaging unit 716 executes the calculation of the approximation calculation equation of the collinear approximate coefficient calculating unit 712 at plural times, calculates the respective average values of the thus-obtained proportional coefficient and offset component and sets the obtained values as the practical parameters to be applied in the interpolation correcting calculation unit 822.

The band check units 711 and 713 determine whether the digital conversion value of the calibration voltage signal is within the range of the upper and lower limit threshold values for calibration values stored in the program memory 111B or is the parameter for the collinear approximation or whether the value of the practical parameter is within the range of the upper and lower limit threshold values of the parameters stored in the program memory 111B. If the determination result is an abnormal value out of the range, the band check units 711 and 713 execute the read-out of the digital conversion value of the calibration voltage signal and the calculation and averaging of the parameter for collinear approximation.

As the calibration voltage signals A0 to A3 used are four calibration voltages of a first calibration voltage A1 and a second calibration voltage A2 which are in the neighborhood of 25% and 75% of a predetermined reference voltage Vref applied to the reference voltage terminal of the AD converter 114, the minimum calibration voltage A0 for an input voltage in the neighborhood of 0V and the maximum calibration voltage A3 in the neighborhood of the reference voltage Vref. These calibration voltage signals A0 to A3 are set so as to satisfy at least the relationship of 0≦A0<A1<A2<A3≦Vref. The collinear approximate coefficient calculating unit 712 represents the characteristic of the digital conversion value to the whole band of the input signal voltage of the AD converter 114 by a polygonal line based on the first, second and third approximate lines 601, 602 and 603.

The first approximate line 601 is a characteristic approximate line representing the relationship between the input voltage ratio and the digital conversion output on which the minimum digital conversion value D0 corresponding to the minimum calibration voltage A0 and the first digital conversion value D1 corresponding to the first calibration voltage A1 are contained as the coordinate point (A0/Vref, D0) and (A1/Vref, D1).

The second approximate line 602 is a characteristic approximate line representing the relationship between the input voltage ratio and the digital conversion output on which the first digital conversion value D1 corresponding to the first calibration voltage A1 and the second digital conversion value D2 corresponding to the second calibration voltage A2 are contained as the coordinate points (A1/Vref, D1) and (A2/Vref, D2).

The third approximate line 603 is a characteristic approximate line representing the relationship between the input voltage ratio and the digital conversion output on which the second digital conversion value D2 corresponding to the second calibration voltage A2 and the maximum digital conversion value D3 corresponding to the maximum calibration voltage A3 are contained as the coordinate points (A2/Vref, D2) and (A3/Vref, D3).

Accordingly, the correction of the digital conversion characteristic to the whole band of the input signal voltage of the AD converter can be performed with high precision. Furthermore, the number of the high-precision voltage-dividing resistors to obtain the calibration voltage signal is not increased, and thus the electronic control device can be constructed at low price.

The program memory 111B cooperating with the microprocessor 110 further contains a control program serving as a periodically updating unit 704. The periodically updating unit 704 executes the collinear approximate coefficient calculating unit 712, the averaging unit 716 and the band check units 711 and 713 every predetermined period, and successively updates the values of the averaged proportional coefficients A, C and E and the values of the averaged offset component which are the practical parameters. The period is set to be shorter than the time corresponding to the thermal time constant of the AD converter 114. Accordingly, the variation of the digital conversion characteristic which is caused by the environmental temperature variation of the AD converter can be corrected and the high-precision digital conversion data can be obtained.

The program memory 111B further contains a control program serving as a time overrun determining unit 715. The time overrun determining unit 715 calculates the averaged proportional coefficients A, C and E and the values B, D and F of the averaged offset components in the averaging unit 716, and determines whether the time required to obtain the practical parameters exceeds a predetermined threshold time. When the time overrun determining unit 715 makes a time overrun determination, an alarm is displayed by the abnormality informing unit 718. Accordingly, the time overrun determining unit 715 does not respond to sporadic abnormality, and informs abnormality in such a case that band check abnormality occurs duplicatively, thereby promoting maintenance and check.

In the band check units 711 and 713, the timing at which the calibration voltage signal is read out again after the abnormality determination is made is executed in a subsequent operation cycle which is different from an operation cycle in which the abnormality determination is made. Accordingly, calibration data to which the abnormality determination is made is not re-used, and the collinear approximate coefficient can be efficiently calculated again.

The program memory 111B further contains a control program serving as an evacuation storing unit 827. The evacuation storing unit 827 stores an abnormality occurrence frequency at which the abnormality determination is executed by the band check units 711 and 713 and the time overrun determining unit 715, and transfers and stores it into the non-volatile data memory 113. The transferred and stored abnormality record information is read out and displayed by connecting the external tool 107. Accordingly, the proper set value can be calculated by reading out the abnormality occurrence record information and analyzing the relationship of the variation permissible range of the calibration values and the parameters and the time-out check time.

Various modifications and alterations of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention, and it should be understood that this is not limited to the illustrative embodiments set forth herein. 

1. An electronic control device having an analog input signal in which one of analog input signals of plural points obtained from an analog sensor group is successively selected by a multiplexer and applied to an analog input terminal of an AD converter, and digital data digitally-converted by the AD converter are input to a microprocessor, wherein calibration voltage signals of plural points are input to the multiplexer; control programs serving as a collinear approximate coefficient calculating unit, an interpolation correcting calculation unit, an averaging unit and a band check unit are added to a program memory cooperating with the microprocessor; the calibration voltage signals are voltage input signals obtained by dividing a reference voltage Vref applied to a reference voltage terminal of the AD converter with plural high-precision voltage-dividing resistors; the collinear approximate coefficient calculating unit represents a characteristic of a digital conversion value to the whole band of the input signal voltage of the AD converter by a single or plural approximate lines, calculates a proportional coefficient and an offset component of an approximate line calculation equation so that the relationship between the voltage and the digital conversion value of the plural calibration voltage signals is contained on the approximate line, and sets the calculated proportional coefficient and offset component as parameters for collinear approximation; the interpolation correcting calculation unit reads out a digital conversion value to one input signal voltage of the analog input signals, calculates back the analog input voltage corresponding to the digital conversion value from the approximate line, and sets the value proportional to the calculated-back calculation value as a corrected digital conversion value; the averaging unit executes calculation of an approximate calculation equation by the collinear approximate coefficient calculating unit at plural times, calculating each average value of the obtained proportional coefficient and offset component and sets the average value as a practical parameter to be applied in the interpolation correcting calculating unit; and the band check unit determines whether the digital conversion value of the calibration voltage signal is within a range of upper and lower limit threshold values for calibration values stored in the program memory or is a parameter for collinear approximation, or whether the value of the practical parameter is within a range of upper and lower limit threshold values of parameters stored in the program memory, and executes read-out of the digital conversion value of the calibration voltage signal and calculation and averaging of the parameter for the collinear approximation when the determination result is an abnormal value out of the range.
 2. The electronic control device having the analog input signal according to claim 1, wherein a first calibration voltage A1 in the neighborhood of 25% of a predetermined reference voltage Vref applied to the reference voltage terminal of the AD converter and a second calibration voltage A2 in the neighborhood of 75% of the predetermined reference voltage Vref are used as the calibration voltage signal, the first and second calibration voltages are set so as to satisfy at least the relationship of 0<A1<A2<Vref, the collinear approximate coefficient calculating unit represents the characteristic of the digital conversion value to the whole band of the input signal voltage of the AD converter by the single approximate line, and the single approximate line is a characteristic approximate line representing the relationship between an input voltage ratio and a digital conversion output in which the first digital conversion value D1 corresponding the first calibration voltage A1 and the second digital conversion value D2 corresponding to the second calibration voltage A2 are contained as coordinate points (A1/Vref, D1) and (A2/Vref, D2).
 3. The electronic control device having the analog input signal according to claim 1, wherein as the calibration voltage signal used are four calibration voltages of a first calibration voltage A1 and a second calibration voltage A2 which are in the neighborhood of 25% and 75% of a predetermined reference voltage Vref applied to the reference voltage terminal of the AD converter, the minimum calibration voltage A0 for an input voltage in the neighborhood of 0V and the maximum calibration voltage A3 in the neighborhood of the reference voltage Vref, the calibration voltage signals A0 to A3 are set so as to satisfy at least the relationship of 0≦A0<A1<A2<A3≦Vref, the collinear approximate coefficient calculating unit represents the characteristic of the digital conversion value to the whole band of the input signal voltage of the AD converter by a polygonal line based on first, second and third approximate lines, the first approximate line is a characteristic approximate line representing the relationship between the input voltage ratio and the digital conversion output on which the minimum digital conversion value D0 corresponding to the minimum calibration voltage A0 and the first digital conversion value D1 corresponding to the first calibration voltage A1 are contained as the coordinate points (A0/Vref, D0) and (A1/Vref, D1), the second approximate line is a characteristic approximate line representing the relationship between the input voltage ratio and the digital conversion output on which the first digital conversion value D1 corresponding to the first calibration voltage A1 and the second digital conversion value D2 corresponding to the second calibration voltage A2 are contained as the coordinate points (A1/Vref, D1) and (A2/Vref, D2), and the third approximate line is a characteristic approximate line representing the relationship between the input voltage ratio and the digital conversion output on which the second digital conversion value D2 corresponding to the second calibration voltage A2 and the maximum digital conversion value D3 corresponding to the maximum calibration voltage A3 are contained as the coordinate points (A2/Vref, D2) and (A3/Vref, D3).
 4. The electronic control device having the analog input signal according to claim 1, wherein the program memory cooperating with the microprocessor further contains a control program serving as a periodically updating unit, the periodically updating unit executes the collinear approximate coefficient calculating unit, the averaging unit and the band check unit every predetermined period to successively update the value of an averaged proportional coefficient and the value of an averaged offset component which are the practical parameters, and the predetermined period is a period shorter than the time corresponding to the thermal time constant of the AD converter.
 5. The electronic control device having the analog input signal according to claim 1, wherein the program memory further contains a control program serving as a time overrun determining unit, the time overrun determining unit calculates the values of the averaged proportional coefficient and the averaged offset component in the averaging unit, and determines whether the time required to obtain the practical parameters exceed a predetermined threshold time, and an alarm is displayed by an abnormality informing unit when the time overrun determining means determines time overrun.
 6. The electronic control device having the analog input signal according to claim 1, wherein a timing at which the calibration voltage signal is read out again after the abnormality determination is made in the band check unit is executed in a subsequent operation cycle which is different from an operation cycle in which the abnormality determination is executed.
 7. The electronic control device having the analog input signal according to claim 5, wherein the program memory further contains a control program serving as an evacuation storing unit, the evacuation storing unit stores an abnormality occurrence frequency at which the abnormality determination is executed by the time overrun determining unit, and transfers and stores the abnormality occurrence frequency into the non-volatile data memory 113, and the transferred and stored abnormality record information is read out and displayed by connecting an external tool.
 8. The electronic control device having the analog input signal according to claim 6, wherein the program memory further contains a control program serving as an evacuation storing unit, the evacuation storing unit stores an abnormality occurrence frequency at which the abnormality determination is executed by the band check unit, and transfers and stores the abnormality occurrence frequency into the non-volatile data memory, and the transferred and stored abnormality record information is read out and displayed by connecting an external tool. 